JFH Staff Review

I had the privilege of hearing the band Before Their Eyes about three years ago, and I've been forever grateful. BTE displays a rather unique sound ranging from pop/rock to hardcore to experimental, and the end result is an amazing one. And now with the release of their third studio album upon us, they have set for themselves a pretty high standard to measure up to.

Untouchable starts off with "Hey Dude" which is your standard BTE: mixing the hardcore screams with some electronic pop/rock. Following are "Sing To Me" and "Love Is Misery," both typical teenage love songs with the latter showcasing lyrics such as "How could I have made such a classic mistake?" involving the listener in the long distance relationship that's quickly deteriorating. While the album touches on relationships, the group doesn't shy away from their faith. "Not Alone" is a great song about dealing with bad circumstances and knowing that we don't have to go through those times on our own, and "Finding A Way" is about being strong when those aforementioned times get hard. A great message for today's youth.

As you near the middle to end of the album, you'll notice that the waters start to rage. The sound gets harder, the screaming is more prevalent, the double bass makes an entrance, and you can almost see the pit forming. "Bulletproof" and "Rick Vs. Nick" showcase that style wonderfully. Furthermore, the mix of double bass combined with the sound of machine guns is absolutely sick when it comes to "Hell Or High Water." The unusual song about a solider praying for those close to him to push on in life even though he is about to die will make any headbanger excited. Closing out the album is "Start With Today," which can also be heard earlier in the album. This version, however, is done acoustically and carries a very soft feel. The beautiful voice of Kristen Williams mixes well with Nick as they sing about having someone standing beside you. It's very moving and absolutely amazing.

Before Their Eyes don't seem to change much from album to album, and the same can be said about this release. Even the slightest change in instruments used or styles displayed are enough for me though – the sound of mixing pop/emo/hardcore is still solid. While this is not the best BTE album available, it is definitely one of the best releases that yet this year. If you haven't checked them out yet, and you're looking for a unique mixture of rock, then it's strongly suggested that you grab Untouchable.

- Review date: 4/2/10, written by Kevin Hoskins of Jesusfreakhideout.com